D-118 Praise & Patience

Winners compare their achievements with their goals, while losers compare their achievements with those of other people”
Nido Qubein quotes


My youngest daughter is in her 3rd year of college. She's majoring in Education with a minors in Spanish.
Today she was given several awards for her academic achievements. :) She makes me so proud.

She was also inducted into "Sigma Delta Pi" for her excellence in in Spanish classes. She is now a lifetime member of that organization.
Just because


Well I tried this one one more time. I was not happy with the composition yesterday so I tried again today

still not crazy about it but it's getting closer.



Amazing Macro water drop images: Steve took it flickr page

D-117 Practice . . .

Practice means to perform, over and over again in the face of all obstacles, some act of vision, of faith, of desire. Practice is a means of inviting the perfection desired.”
Martha Graham

How many times are you willing try something and perfect a new technique? Whether it be in photography or anything you are trying to perfect. Do you practice, practice, practice or do you give up?

Studio shots - "peppers"
Which one do you like best?







“Practice is the best of all instructors”
Publilius Syrus quotes

Pages read in "The Nikon Creative Lighting System" by Mike Hagen 28-36

Images viewed: Shiitake Flickr Stream. There are some amazing food images on there.

It's Tweeter Tuesday

D-116 Learning

Get over the idea that only children should spend their time in study. Be a student so long as you still have something to learn, and this will mean all your life. ~Henry L. Doherty

Photography has been a continual learning process for. I am constantly on the search for making my images better, more creative, more interesting and so on.
I am currently learning more about lighting. I am reading and practicing and looking at other photographers images to learn.

What are you learning about? How do you go about learning? What works for you?



When the student is ready, the master appears. ~Buddhist Proverb

Reading The Nikon Creative Lighting System pages 20 - 28

Have you ever heard of Thomas Hawks $2.00 portrait project?
What an interesting subject and creative way to get images! I'm not sure I'm bold enough to try this yet but maybe next time someone ask me for $$ while I'm in the city I'll be prepared.

Here is a flickr group dedicated to the $2.00 Portrait project.

D-115 {A princess and a drawing}

I was trying to take a few pictures of flowers in the studio and she came in and insisted that I take her picture with her crown - right before bed time.
The studio was set up for flowers not little people so the lighting is not spot on but I like it.

While she waitied for me she drew me this rainbow and in the upper right hand side, she says it reads "Rain, rain go away, come back another day."



She was feeling generous and loving and she said I could have this for "me"


How could I not be totally taken and in love with this child. Oh boy, she's got my number.

Images viewed: I visited this blog It's a greyt day

Day 114 {Stamen}

Macro details of an orange Lily. This is one from that beautiful bouquet I received from Elli.

Macro shot in my Studio using low-key light set up. Also used a snoot in place of the hair light.
Nikon D-300, F13, SS 1/125, 28-105 @92mm

Looked at images on Flickr

Day 113 {Breast} Cancer Sucks

If children have the ability to ignore all odds and percentages, then maybe we can all learn from them. When you think about it, what other choice is there but to hope? We have two options, medically and emotionally: give up, or fight like hell. ~Lance Armstrong

Hope


new Fight like a girl tattoo! Bad ass
Low Key Studio work
Nikon D-300

Looked at images from an old photography catalog.
Read yes I read today.

. . . and I'm back Days 104 thru Days 112

My surgery went well - I'm still in pain so I can't tell if it was worth it or not yet. Today was my first day of physical therapy. Yeah I'm sore again.

First of all I want to thank you all for your cards, flowers, food and wishes of a quick recovery. Your thoughts mean a lot to me and thank you {hugs}
My friend Elli sent me the most Beautiful bouquet of flowers with a balloon. What a nice surprise and my Friend Flora brought over the most colorful bouquet of flowers I've ever seen and my Mother in law made me the best batch of Perogies ever along with a home made upside down cake plus I got cards and calls too many to mention. Thank you thank you thank you!

The first 2 days I was so out of it I was lucky to take a picture
so I give you Textures: (one of which I already used)
D-104
removed for space reasons
D-105
removed
The bouquet that Elli sent me. Natural light
D-106


D-107
From Elli's bouquet with texture added, natural light

D-108
Flowers from Flora :)

Love this one

D-109


D-110
I used the texture from the first day on this one.

D-111
David set up a hair light for my low light shoots. It gives a nice separation from background when I want it.

and last but not Least:
D-112

I love this one because I was sitting in a lawn chair pretty far from her I used the 70-200mm and I love the bokeh!

Day 103 - Child's play

"It is a happy talent to know how to play." Ralph Waldo Emerson





Spent most of the day together - she didn't want anything to do with my camera today, but she did want to play and play we did.

I will be going in for outpatient surgery tomorrow. I will be laid up for several days. I will keep the camera close by - it already has the macro lens on. Not sure if I'll be able to post tomorrow but I will be taking the picture a day.


Pages read in The Nikon Creative Lighting system 19-20
Looked at an old photography book - Gold Book Photography. Lots of inspiration there.

Day 102 - Simplicity

“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” Leonardo da Vinci

I took this image with the intention of adding lots of texture. I added textures I took away textures I added more textures . . .Nothing seemed to work. So plain and simple.



Images Looked at Silent Okami's Photostream

3 days - no reading.

D 101 - Take time to play

This three year old reminds me everyday to "Slow Down" take time to sit and listen.
Stop rushing. Time passes quickly enough without us taking the time to notice details.
I had a great play date with her.

“Slow down and enjoy life. It's not only the scenery you miss by going to fast - you also miss the sense of where you are going and why.”
Eddie Cantor





She thought it was very funny that her bubbles were attacking my lens. Yes, very funny indeed! That laugh is priceless




Images viewed: Bukutgirl's photostream

Pages read in The Nikon Creative Lighting System 18-20

D-100! Do What you Love . . .

WoooHoo! Day 100 and still going strong.
Some treat my honey bought me. Yum.

Here is another attempt at OCF strobist style. Like I said before my inspiration is Dustin Diaz - I have a long way to go learning this strobist stuff.
Nikon D-300, 50mm, F5, 1/125s, ISO 200, flash to camera left and a slave 6 feet away facing background with green gel.

"If you do what you love - you'll never work a day in your life"
That's what photography has become to me. There is a hunger to learn more, a desire to perfect this art. There is alot of work involved but I love every moment of this art.

I came across this website today - Tasra Mar profiled it on her blog a couple of months ago, I just saw it today. He's so down to earth and real. I loved his interview. You can see it here:
Other inspiration: Joe Wigfall's interview on F-Stop beyond

Images viewed: Joe Wigfall

Reading Pages (none, did not make the time to sit and read today)

D-99 Friday Fun Photo Challenge "Shadow"

Here is Friday's Fun Photo Challenge. I had several ideas but this was the easiest to set up. The Challenge was "Shadows" The only restriction was to be creative and have fun.



Reading: The Nikon Creative Lighting System pages 1-19

Images Viewed: Loren Zimlicka's

D-98 The Talented Miss Khalila

This is Khalila,
my talented daughter. She created the blog header for me.

Beauty is not in the face; beauty is a light in the heart. ~Kahlil Gibran
but this beauty is in the face and the heart - Mom
Love ya Khalila


Finished reading "The Hot Shoe Diaries" by Joe McNally.
I would recommend this book only if you are comfortable with your speed lights and you know what all of the settings mean. I was under the impression that the basics would be explained but they were not. However, Joe McNally shows many different creative ways of using speed lights and many different accessories for those speed lights.

I've started reading "The Nikon Creative Lighting System" by Mike Hagen Pages:

Inspiration: other blogs

D-97 Ever Feel like giving up?

On people, careers, on your dreams?
I come to this fork in the road many times a month. When I get there I usually just need a break. The I keep on keeping on. Sometimes battered but a lot of times victorious.
What do you do when you get to the crossroads and you feel like giving up?

“Lots of people limit their possibilities by giving up easily. Never tell yourself this is too much for me. It's no use. I can't go on. If you do you're licked, and by your own thinking too. Keep believing and keep on keeping on.” Norman Vincent Peale

My new learning curve is OCF (off camera flash) and as I continue to learn and experiment I will continue to chart my progress on this blog. Thank you to those of you who come and peak into my world - and a bigger thanks to those of you who leave me some blog love - that is very encouraging.

This first set up is as follows:
Nikon D-300
50MM flash
ISO200 F2.2 1/100s
Flash to camera left



This set up:
Nikon D-300
50MM flash
ISO200 F3.5 1/100s
Flash to camera left, slave to camera 2o'clock with blue gel





Inspiration: Professional Photographer April 2010 Issue and Flickr
Pages Read in "The Hot Shoe Diaries" by Joe McNally 218-250

D-96 Disappointment & Hope

“We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.” MLK

I have had to really slow down on my marathon training because of pain in my knee. I finally went to the doctor because it was not getting better and we found out today it was due to a "Meniscus Tear" it's nothing major but I need to tend to it immediately other wise it will continue to get worse. So I'm having out patient surgery next Wednesday. That puts my marathon training on the back burner for a while. Thank God it was nothing worse.

Today's image is from the yard again. The weather has been amazing.
This one I call "The Gathering" it reminds me of us and our friends - LOL
"Friendship is one mind in two bodies"


This one I call "Fight Like a Girl"


These were shot with my Macro lens.


Inspiration: Flickr
Pages Read in The Hot Shoe Diaries: 215-218

D-95 Bottle & Bokeh

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY NEPHEW - JOSE, LOVE YOU AND I MISS YOU"

As I concentrate on perfecting my OCF and ambient light mix I look for simple subjects around the house.
House plant in water, in blue bottle with awesome bokeh in the background. Flash to camera right.




F3.5, 1/60s, 50 mm, ISO 250. Nikon D300
Reading The Strobist Blog and trying some stuff out.

Inspiration today: Strobist
Pages Read in "The Hot Shoe Diaries" 190-215

D-94 Happy Easter to All

We had a great day today, celebrated Easter at my In-Laws house (I love them so much). Most of the family was there and it was really nice. Great food, great company. I'm not feeling my best today but it was nice sharing the day with everyone there.

These are on my In-Laws dinning room table and this one Lily only has petals on the top half not the bottom half. That's just the way it opened.
Layers for fun window light, 50mm


These were given to my Mother in law from my Sister in law. They are beautiful.
Window light, 50mm

added 2 layers of texture for fun.

Here's a picture David took of Isabella while she was egg hunting.


Images Viewed: Sherrie St. Hilaire
Pages Read in The Hot Shoe Diaries, Joe McNally pages 169-189

D-93 Another play at Off Camera Flash

First of all I want to say a big Thank You to my daughter Khalila for that great blog header. I really think she did a great job.

I love my vintage, 1950's Red Juice-O-Matic, counter tops juicer, our brother-in-law gave to us. Dave was making Lemonaide and as he says, "everything in our house turns into a photoshoot." Here I played with some OCF and tried to Bokeh the chili pepper lights I have on my windows. Still playing around with the flash trying to find a perfect balance with ambient light and flash.
I thought it would be fun to angle the camera for these images.






Images viewed: Audrey Woulard
Pages Read in The Hot Shoe Diaries; 161 - 169

D-91 & D-92 Fun Friday Photo Challenge

Today's challenge was April fools or Easter. Well obviously I chose Easter. Here's Jack with a basket of Isabella's eggs that are waiting to get filled. I better remember to fill them tonight!

Shot with OCF through a small soft box pointed at the rabit and the Christmas lights were used as ambient. 50MM f3.2 1/125s ISO200

and while I was playing around with this set up Isabella came in from her day at the zoo and wanted a picture of her "Cat" painting on her face - compliments of the zoo. LOL


My friend Flora and I went wedding dress shopping. She's getting married in 3 weeks!
We had so much fun. She's so beautiful and has a great heart!
"Sometimes you put walls up not to keep people out, but to see who cares enough to break them down.”


Flora:
This is my wish for you: Comfort on difficult days, smiles when sadness intrudes, rainbows to follow the clouds, laughter to kiss your lips, sunsets to warm your heart, hugs when spirits sag, beauty for your eyes to see, friendships to brighten your being, faith so that you can believe, confidence for when you doubt, courage to know yourself, patience to accept the truth, Love to complete your life.” arthur unknown

Love ya Flora!

Images Viewed: alphasmiley's photostream

Pages Read: